ROTIMI AMAECHI AND MAGNUS ABE'S LOYALISTS DIFFER ON RECONCILIATION IN RIVERS APC

    Magnus Abe              Rotimi Amaechi

Members of the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; and supporters of the Senator Magnus Abe-led faction of the party, have accused each other of threatening to destabilise the party.

State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Ogbonna Nwuke, who is an ally of the minister, in a statement, in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, said, “As we speak, we have come upon credible information that allies of Governor Wike and Senator Magnus Abe have lined up new cases that are being filed by different persons at this time.”

He further said, “We have also learnt that some members of a judicial ring that has been used repeatedly in the past to deliver objectionable decisions are to be used as vacation judges.

“The plan is to secure injunctions by any means possible; injunctions intended to halt the APC, which, by the grace of God, and the leadership of Rt. Hon Rotimi Amaechi, Minister of Transportation, is transforming into the mainstream party of the Rivers people.”

In response, a former member of the State House of Assembly who is an ally of Senator Abe, Golden Chioma said, “To be fair to you, Ogbonna Nwuke is very aware that he is lying. Senator Magnus Abe in well-orchestrated public events had told everybody that he is not interested in legal solution. Rather, he would exploit a political solution to the crisis in the party.

“It is also a known fact that the Senator Abe group would bend over backwards to show good faith in reconciling the party.

“We have done everything humanly possible for us to reconcile, but the other side is bent on acquisition or conquest, but peace.

“It is unfair to human understanding. Every man was born with inalienable rights to express himself or to seek justice.

“Even if it is your slave, there is a way you run your slave, he will start to object. Even when you own a bull and you use it to plough your field, when you over plough with the bull, it will stop.”

PALM WINE, PAP DOESN'T ENHANCE FLOW OF BREAST MILK – PHYSICIAN

A physician, Agnes Nwoke, who works with St. Charles Clinic in Urum, has said that the cultural practice of consuming palm wine or pap by nursing mothers does not enhance the flow of breast milk. Ms Nwoke, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Awka on the sideline of the commemoration of 2021 World Breastfeeding Week. She said there was the need to demystify the myth about the effect of palm wine or pap on breastfeeding.

According to her, breast milk production obeys the law of demand and supply.

“It is not the amount of fluid taken via pap or palm wine, it is the intensity of suckling and time of suckling that help the nursing mother to produce more milk.

“The more the breast is emptied, the more it produces or flows with milk. “Also mothers should breastfeed more at night because the hormone called prolactin functions more at night as it contributes to high flow of breast milk,” she said.

Ms Nwoke said that palm wine contained alcohol on the average up to six per cent, saying it might have sedative effects which can make mothers and even babies sleep.

“When a nursing mother takes palm wine, the alcohol in the palm wine gets into the breast milk and it can make the baby agitated or sleep and unable to suck.

“Palm wine does not enhance the flow of breast milk, it is a cultural practice, not medically proven.

“Breast flow is, however, increased by staying hydrated, eating a well-balanced diet, putting baby to breast on demand, resting and having enough sleep.

“Breastfeeding is important for the optimal nourishment, immunity, growth and development of the infant,” Ms Nwoke said.

The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in a recent statement, highlighted ways to support mothers to have adequate breast milk production after delivery.

The statement urged health workers to encourage women to take plenty of water during pregnancy and lactation, as well as examine and encourage breast care during pregnancy. It further stated that health workers should help mothers put their babies to breast within one hour of delivery and ensure suckling until breast milk starts flowing.

It also discouraged giving water or any fluid or infant formula to babies in the first six months, saying that breast milk is a complete food that contains all the water the baby needs in the first six months of life.

(NAN)

'ALLOW YOUR HUSBANDS TO SUCK YOUR BREASTS', CHIEF NURSING SISTER (CNS) TELLS PREGNANT WOMEN

Mrs Oladimeji also urged pregnant women to prepare their breasts during pregnancy to avoid lactation problems after delivery.

Chief Nursing Sister (CNS) asks pregnant women to allow their husbands to suck their breasts (NAN)

Mrs Roseline Oladimeji, a Chief Nursing Sister, in Lagos on Thursday advised pregnant women to allow their husbands to suck their boobs to prepare them for breastfeeding after delivery.

Mrs Oladimeji gave the advice at a sensitisation programme marking 2021 World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) organised by Amuwo Odofin Maternal and Child Centre (AOMCC), Festac Town.

“Allow your husbands to suck your breasts during pregnancy. Apart from bonding, it will help the nipples to be out and make it easier for your baby to latch on.

“You can also rub vaseline on your nipples at night before going to sleep. It also helps to soften it,” the apex nursing sister said.

She urged pregnant women to prepare their breasts during pregnancy to avoid lactation problems after delivery.

She added that the colostrum – the yellowish milk that flows within the first five days of delivery – contains nutrients that helps boost the baby’s immunity.

“It is still breast milk,” she said.

Mrs Oladimeji cautioned that certain food, herbs and medications could hurt babies if they cross into the breast milk.

She particularly noted that drinking palmwine to improve lactation could introduce alcohol into the baby’s system during breastfeeding.

Mrs Oladimeji further cautioned mothers seeking advice from people who were not qualified to take care of babies to avoid causing harm to their children.

Also, the hospital’s Dietician, Ms Gbemisola Ogundipe, advised lactating mothers to ensure they take well-balanced meals and lots of water to increase the volume and quality of their breast milk.

“A breastfeeding mother should have meat, fish, eggs and vegetables in her meals. She should also take a glass of juice or smoothies.

“She should increase her fluid intake and this can come in form of water, milk, yoghurt, ice cream and pap,” she said.

Ogundipe also cautioned women against weaning their babies before they get to one year because of the misconception that breast milk changed to blood when a child turns one year.

She said exclusive breastfeeding was not only beneficial to the babies but also to the mothers and their families as it helps to take the mother to her pre-pregnancy weight and lessen financial pressure for families.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the 2021 WBW was, ‘Protect Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility’.

NAN reports that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF said that though there had been progress in breastfeeding rates in the last four decades, the rates in Nigeria reduced with age.

In a joint statement issued by the Director-General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus and the Executive Director of UNICEF, Henrietta Fore, they stated that rate of exclusive breastfeeding rose from 17 per cent in 2013 to 29 per cent in 2018.

They, however. said that the percentage of children breastfed within one hour of birth in Nigeria estimated at 42 per cent was still less than 50 per cent.

“Breastfeeding rates in Nigeria reduced with age – 83 per cent of the children are breastfed up to one year while 28 per cent are breastfeeding till two years.

“It will show that the proportion of the children who are not breastfeeding increases with age,” it said.

- NAN

TUNDE IS THE FATHER OF MY 2 KIDS, NOT FCMB MD – MOYO THOMAS

Mrs Moyo Thomas, the woman alleged to have had a romantic affair with the managing director of FCMB, Adamu Nuru, which led to the death of her husband, Tunde Thomas, has cleared doubt over the accusations, saying that her late husband was the father of their kids.

Recall that a 45-year-old man identified as Tunde Thomas passed away recently from heartbreak after reportedly discovering that the two kids from his marriage were not his children.

But reacting to the allegations yesterday, Mrs Thomas said only God knows why he died in an untimely period, saying that she remains committed to keeping only the positive memories of her late husband.

She said, “Just like any marriage, Tunde and I had a lot of differences, some of which even led to police intervention. But I remain committed to keeping only positive memories of him. No one can ever understand what transpired between us or what each of us experienced in the marriage; like they say, it is he who wears the shoes that knows where it pinches”.

“In all, I never for once wished him bad. His untimely and sudden death is still a shock to me as it is to many others”.

“On no occasion did I ever tell him he was not the father of our two children. It is therefore deliberate falsehood and certainly malicious to allege and insinuate that I informed him that the children are not his”.

“The children still bear his name.  Only God knows why he died in an untimely period. It is not in my place, or anyone’s place to play God and talk with certainty as to the cause of his death, without proven medical facts”.

“Despite our separation, we never allowed our differences to affect the relationships we respectively had with the children. He still had conversations with the children like any father will, up until his sudden and unfortunate death. It is quite sad and disheartening to see the pictures of these innocent children splashed all over the internet with very disparaging and weird comments. I do wish his family and friends the fortitude to bear the unfortunate loss and I ask that we all be allowed to grieve his loss in peace,” she added.

HOW MASTURBATION AFFECTS MARRIAGES

A husband and his wife who have been married for a few years now have been having issues lately due to sexual submission on the part of the wife to her requesting husband.. 

The said wife is a housewife, taking care of the kids, while the husband is the bread winner who goes to work every day to provide for his family. Husband returned back from work one fine evening, expecting to get “something light” from his wife after dinner, only for her to say “sorry dear,  I have already masturbated a few hours ago, so I am not really in the mood right now”.

This was the fifth time his wife was telling him this in three weeks, so obviously she had replaced her husband with her “fingers,” using her newly purchased vibrator hidden away somewhere in the house.

The husband was very upset at some point for being deprived of his right. However, being a Christian, he didn’t believe in cheating on his wife, and he didn’t want to be put in that situation so he wanted her to stop using that “evil” vibrator right away. Out of fear, she threw it away, but couldn’t overcome the urge soon and started using her fingers to please herself, the husband  couldn’t take it anymore when he discovered and that was the beginning to the end.

This story is same or slightly different with many other experiences of couples in various homes. Some partners accept it because they feel it’s much better than “adultery”, while some see it as a slap on the face. The interesting part is men rarely talk about it amongst themselves. Women are more open in discussing it with each other, while couples don’t even want to mention it at all. Really interesting, isn’t it?

Couples should be open about their sexual wants and desires, as well as their dislikes. 85 % of men and 45 % of women who live with their spouses are said to have masturbated. Vibrators, sex machines, sex toys and even sex dolls are steadily replacing human contact and encouraging masturbation addiction. Many people would argue that this is more common with men, than women, well that is not our debate for today, but on how it affects both genders and its aftermath in a relationship. Masturbation is derived from a Latin word “manstuprare,” meaning “to defile one’s self by hand”.

Many couples I have counselled or spoken to say that masturbation is a very uncomfortable topic to broach. Imagine walking in on your partner masturbating? So many questions will be running through your head at once. Apart from immediately casting and binding the devil, there are several thoughts that rush through your mind, number one being who or what is my partner thinking about while at it? Some couples may wonder if masturbation can ruin their relationship. Other couples don’t even want to discuss it.

Masturbation often carries a stigma. Some religious, cultural and spiritual traditions associate masturbation with immorality or sin.

But the truth is masturbation can become an addiction which can cause harm to your relationship with several signals stated below.

When you get to a point where you inflict self-injury on yourself due to this habit, it can lead to other challenges in your relationship.

If your spouse uses masturbation to cope when they are under stress, especially when work pressure increases and next step is to quickly get a private place to “handle” themselves, then this is a big issue because apart from leading your partner to other stress management behaviour it can quickly escalate into a big problem, imagine having to get to the toilet anytime you are under duress.

This can create a feeling of rejection if one’s partner finds solace in masturbating rather than sexually connecting with their partner. If your partner finds it very easy to replace physical contact with you, even when you are available.

We operate in a religious environment. The weight of guilt that presents itself with this act, especially in connection to our religious and spiritual beliefs (if you have any) will lead to secrecy or in some cases creating and maintaining a double life around your sexual lifestyle.

One of the criteria for addictive behaviour is frequency of the act, sometimes partners who want to stop and are unable to do so, sometimes unconsciously increase after trying to make effort to stop due to the helpless feeling it gives.

Putting religion or cultural beliefs aside, it is an unhealthy habit with emphasis on the word habit, not only as an individual but for couples. Masturbation is very common among adults, yet it remains a challenging and uncomfortable topic

It causes feeling of inadequacy, especially when the partner discovers about it, they tend to blame themselves, assuming that their spouse or partner is bored or unhappy with them. Masturbation is a problem that interferes with day-to-day life, especially when it is used to substitute real intimacy with another person.

Your partner may feel that his or her partner has been keeping secrets. What couples should understand is that couples have different viewpoints. People who masturbate may do so in different amounts. There is nothing like an acceptable number or not acceptable number. where we can establish you have a problem with masturbation is when you can’t achieve orgasm with your partner through intercourse, the best is to seek help from a therapist. They can work with you and your partner to iron out major concerns affecting your relationship, or smaller issues you are struggling with.

So many couples if they can be sincere struggle with masturbation. It all depends on if you feel you should tell your spouse that you masturbate. But you shouldn’t allow the feeling of inadequacy over take you if you discover your partner masturbates, as long as you can maintain a healthy relationship where both individuals communicate effectively to understand each other and know exactly when to come in. Adult individuals are entitled to their own thoughts, even what our society might deem repugnant. Basically what should be your priority which is my major rule for relationships is that all your sex, including fantasies, should be with each other.

Is it possible to stop masturbation, especially when it is affecting your relationship? I would say yes! Definitely, you can stop it.

Instead of trying to restrict your partner’s behaviour for instance because restriction with words like “you must stop this habit at once’ will only aggravate issues. It is a matter of discipline and acceptance to try and stop, once there is a will there is a way. If you desire to help your partner to stop, then the best method is to

Talk to them about the habit.

Find out what triggers it (for instance work pressure).

Ask them how you can help them stop it.

Give mental and moral support; don’t make them feel ashamed.

Try to turn their attention to something else, so that they get to use their time constructively.

Do it slowly, change cannot happen overnight.

Know when to seek professional help.

Learning to stop masturbating is a process and this process takes time. To overcome this behaviour you’ve practised for months and sometimes even years, you personally need several coping strategies in order to save your relationship and cause less damage to show them you really want to stop.

Keeping a full schedule will cut down on the opportunities you have for masturbation. Find activities that are self-soothing, engaging, or exciting. I personally recommend joining a gym, start running or jogging, exert yourself physically.

You will also need a healthy diet for your body, caring for yourself may reduce urges or provide motivation to resist. It can also provide a new focus for your energy and efforts. You also need to be accountable to someone you trust, if you can find a support group. That would be excellent and a right path to recovery. It can also help you develop new behaviour. You need to limit your lone time, wear extra clothes at night to cover everywhere as much as possible, make it difficult for the temptation to be successful. Stop everything that triggers the urge, like porn, sex magazines and so on, and most of all, be patient with yourself while healing yourself. Good luck!